Friend Of My Enemy, Enemy Of My Friend
by Cadmium Yellow
Summary: The Boy Who Lived was not alone, even while sleeping. Somebody followed him as he walked along the corridors, oblivious, and that somebody tucked him back into bed when the dream was done. And another somebody watched her. DMHG.
1. Harry's Dreams Were Always Vivid

**Friend Of My Enemy, Enemy Of My Friend**

Harry's dreams were always vivid; but he never knew he walked in them. When his eyes finally opened each dawn, he was always in bed, the blankets smooth around him. He never realised that each night he walked along the stone corridors of Hogwarts, in a world of his own; alone, except for that flash of green light and the mocking laughter that lurked behind each corner. And why should he know?

The Boy Who Lived was not alone, even when the cobwebs were asleep in their nooks. Somebody followed him as he wandered, throwing the Cloak over both of them to keep them hidden. Somebody steered him slowly back again when the darkness faded in the sky and in his troubled mind. Somebody helped him lie down, covered him with the blankets and smoothed the pillow down.

Not Ron - kind-hearted but insensitive. It was Hermione who waited outside the dormitory for the familiar quiet cries and the sounds of somebody forcing themselves blindly through the curtains of the bed. It was Hermione who scurried to find the Cloak before following the black-haired boy through the door, down the stairs, out of the portrait-door - Hermione who followed him silently, her wand alight with muttered spells.

And somebody watched her.

---

"Head Girl?" He sounded incredulous.

"Well, yes," Hermione replied defensively. "And?"

Ron hastily attempted to backpedal. "Nothing! I meant - of course you're Head Girl. You _would _be!"

"But?" Her tone was icy.

"But nothing!" he grinned, and once again she melted.

"Of course, it's a totally sexist concept anyway - Head Girl and Head Boy - I mean, what if there are two particularly good boys, or two girls?" she babbled, trying to distract him from the way her eyes widened and her skin suddenly seemed to raise in temperature when he looked at her like _that_.

Ron chuckled. "'Course, Hermione. Fancy making another Society? Society for Anti-Discrimination? You know what that spells out -"

Her glare silenced him, but didn't manage to wipe the smirk from his face.

Sensibly, he changed the subject. "Anyway...know who the Head Boy is?"

"An insufferable git?" she retorted, taking his smirk for a sign that he himself had achieved that goal.

He scoffed. "Well, it's not me, and it's not Harry - I'd say probably a Hufflepuff. Probably _Ernie_."

Disappointed, she groaned with him. Ernie. This would be a _fun _year. And she'd been so looking forward to all the parties they would organise - of course, Ernie would call it unnecessary and frivolous and refuse to help at all.

Hermione stopped toying with the glittering badge, pinning it to her already-donned robes, and leaned back. She stared out the window, watching the world fly past. She'd always loved trains - loved travelling in general. There was always so much to find about where you were going and what you were seeing, and the journey to Hogwarts was so familiar now, she would have sworn she could've walked it.

She was distracted by a knock on the door of the train compartment. Harry entered, now wearing freshly laundered Hogwarts robes and -

"What on earth is _that?_" Hermione asked distastefully.

Harry grinned. "You like?" He twirled exaggeratedly, showing off the scarf that clung to his neck.

_As if her disgusted expression wasn't clear enough? _"It's _embroidered_, Harry. And it's - pink!"

He rolled his eyes, but took it off, throwing it at Ron who was half-asleep in the corner. "It's just a scarf. Some girls gave it to me on the way back from the bathroom."

Ron inspected it, his smile growing. "What's this it says here? 'We Love You Harry Potter'? What'd you say to them?"

Hermione turned to glare at Harry. "Yes, Harry, what did you say to them?"

"Nothing!" he retorted, holding his hands up to his face defensively. "I just thanked them and said I had to go change. They were second-years, I didn't want to be mean."

Ron let out a guffaw. "Look here, man - they've spent _years _on this. They even got your hair right!" He pointed to a tiny sewn image of Harry flying on a broomstick, looking rather more muscled than in real life. Harry laughed with him, but his smile was softer.

Hermione sniffed and turned away. "I have a Prefects' and Heads' meeting. I'll be back later."

---

The train was swamped with witches and wizards. First-years ran around excitedly, pointing out new details to each other, while second-years gleefully sneered at them, pleased to no longer be the youngest and incredulous that, once, _they _had been that small and that annoying. Hermione, with her sparkling badge and superior expression, parted the waves of students easily as she strode purposefully towards the rear of the train.

The students here were older and more familiar. Hermione thought she recognised a blonde Ravenclaw girl who was leaning against a door, idly flicking her wand as the Muggleborn first-years in front of her looked frantically for the cause of their levitating sweets. Hermione glared at the blonde, and she grinned, tucking her wand back into a pocket and casually stalking away.

The last compartment was empty, except for Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, who were waiting for the students to arrive. Hermione was early, as usual. She waited outside, not wanting to be the first. Ernie should be here already; it was surprising that she had arrived first.

_Speak of the devil._ Ernie himself was now striding towards her, the familiar pompous expression fixed to his face. And there was the badge, pinned perfectly beneath his collar, polished and in perfect condition.

"Good afternoon," he said importantly.

Hermione repeated the greeting. "So how are you?" she added.

Luckily, she was saved from the answer - and consequently a long tirade on how owls really needed to learn their place - by the arrival of several more students; sixth-years this time. Ernie beamed at them, and began interrogating them all on how well they knew the rules. Hermione rolled her eyes.

A voice from behind her asked: "So, Granger, I presume you made Head Girl?"

She swivelled to face the speaker - her _beloved _Draco Malfoy. _Oh, joy. _Her face automatically twisted into a sneer, matched by his own. "Indeed. You?"

He indicated his badge. "Prefect. They offered me Head Boy, but I turned it down."

Even her hatred of him couldn't quell her curiosity. "What? Why?"

"Too much work," he replied simply.

Hermione was shocked, and it showed. He laughed mockingly. "Yes, Granger, some of us have _lives..._"

They were interrupted by another Slytherin, who Hermione knew vaguely - _Zobaya? Zabotis? Zabini? _- and who clapped Malfoy on the back. "Only Prefect, Draco?"

"You're just lucky I turned Head Boy down, Zabini," Malfoy returned, his mouth set in a lazy smirk.

_So this is my partner-in-crime,_ Hermione realised. _Could be a lot better than Ernie._

Zabini shoved Malfoy playfully. "Like you're not going to have the same privileges without the work? Smart move, Draco. You know you're going to be over at the luxurious Head's rooms every day, slacker."

_On second thoughts; it could be a lot worse._

**A/N: This will be a realistic romance - I hope - so please, please, please point out anytime the characters aren't portrayed accurately. This takes place in a fictitious seventh year, so some details aren't going to be perfectly canon. I've decided to say the Heads have their own rooms and that they enjoy some of the responsibilities and privileges commonly used in fanfiction, but I'm hoping it'll be realistic. I'm sure there's no canon foundation for Malfoy's character of 'clever Slytherin womaniser' so I'm trying to put him across more as he is in the books? If anyone thinks I'm wrong please don't hesitate to point it out.**

_Cadmium Yellow_


	2. As Prefects And Heads

"As prefects and Heads, of course, I will expect the _best _and most _prudent _behaviour from all of you," Professor McGonagall began. She stared at them each in turn, a ruthless look in her eyes. "Any misbehaviour from you will result in the strictest of discipline. You are to set an example! Any misuse of your privileges will not be tolerated. If anybody notices another student using their privileges incorrectly, they are to report it immediately to me. Do you understand?"

Hermione glanced around; most of the faces around her were now filled with apprehension as they nodded. Zabini looked bored - then again, Hermione had never seen him disobey the rules. Ernie looked as focussed as ever, if perhaps a little affronted that McGonagall even suggest that he was capable of such actions.

As her eyes passed over Malfoy, he locked eyes with her. She frowned, wondering why he was looking at her. He sneered at her expression, his eyes passing over her bushy hair and furrowed brows. Irritated, she turned back to McGonagall.

"-only in cases of small, petty crimes, of course. If anything serious crops up, you are to report to a teacher. Now, prefects, your first duties are to patrol the Express. While walking here, I noticed several cases of mischief-making - a girl in, I believe, sixth-year was tormenting some new students, in fact." She sounded scandalised.

Hermione's hand was in the air before the last sentence had issued from the teacher's mouth. "Actually, Professor, I have already sorted that case out on the way to this compartment."

McGonagall smiled. "Very good, Miss Granger. Prefects, take note! One must always act. You are dismissed."

The prefects rose and left in silence - a silence that soon changed into the noise of lively discussion as the compartment door closed. Hermione noticed Lavender as one of the prefects, surprisingly, and also Luna Lovegood. Then again, Luna could just have wandered into the wrong compartment.

Her and Zabini were the only students now in the compartment, and McGonagall leaned forward on the central table to address them. "Now, as Heads, you have certain other privileges that prefects do not, and that, perhaps, you do not know about. Of course, there are the Head's rooms."

Hermione nodded enthusiastically, noting that even Zabini's lips curved into a smile.

"Now, they are by no means luxury. You have one small bedroom, each, with a wardrobe. There is also a small study for you to share, and a very small kitchen. There is also a small connection to the Hogwarts kitchens, where you may request that the house-elves assist you or prepare you small snacks. Please, do not abuse this. The house-elves are usually very busy and they might not have time to help you, which is why there is a kitchen. And of course, a common room. Nowhere near as large as the House ones, of course, but it should be sufficient for _two _people." McGonagall's eyes narrowed at that. "We do remind you that these are Head Girl and Boy privileges and should not be overly shared with other students."

_Ha. _Hermione's smug smile provoked no reaction in Zabini, who merely looked away, still smiling.

"And then, of course, there is the Head's bathroom."

_Finally._

"These are, you will find, larger and more well-equipped than the prefects'. The password for that is separate, of course. You are expected to be, let us say, _private _with these resources and use them sensibly. We have had some mishaps in the past." McGonagall's face twisted into one of distaste. "If this happens again, the use of the bathroom will be removed from you for as long as we see fit.

"Now, you are allowed to furnish the Head's rooms as you see fit, and you will receive an initial, small allowance to buy any essential furnishings - for example, extra storage space. Students in the past have used this money to purchase clothes and other foolishness. If this occurs here, we will remove the allowance. So be sensible. If you wish to purchase anything else, you must use your own money."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. This was unexpected. They were to receive money to furnish the rooms? She'd never heard about _that_.

"Other privileges include the deduction of house points in quantities of less than fifty at a time per student. You may also give detentions and organise them yourself, however, they will be supervised by a teacher occasionally to ensure that you are not abusing this right and that the tasks fit the rules. You may also leave your bedrooms after hours, although this should be for purely educational or disciplinary reasons. You have the right to communicate with other houses' common rooms using the Floo Network, and to enter other house's common rooms and dormitories."

McGonagall reached below the table and produced two slim volumes, giving one to Zabini and one to Hermione. Hermione flicked through it idly. It contained the rules in more detail and the passwords of each House common room, their own rooms, and the prefects' and Heads' bathroom.

"These booklets have been enchanted to change whenever the password for each room changes. Of course, the Ravenclaw Tower may only be entered by answering a question correctly - however, you may request another question if the one asked of you is too difficult. The Hufflepuff Tower, as I'm sure you know, is possible to enter only if one allows in any other students waiting at the door for someone who knows the password, but that should present no difficulty."

Hermione began raising her hand, before realising that there was only one other student in the room, and lowered her arm. "Professor, our responsibilities -"

"-are listed and explained in your booklet," McGonagall answered swiftly. She paused, waiting for any other questions; there were none. She rose. "I'm sure you are eager to return to your compartments and change into your robes. It's rather late, but if you finish dressing quickly, you should ensure that you leave the train first to assist the first-years. We have a new gameskeeper who is now responsible for taking the first-years across the lake, so you should help them find him. I'm sure you won't miss him." Was that a half-smile on her lips? "Now, you should be returning to your friends."

Hermione got to her feet a little unsteadily, as the train was juddering slightly, and left the compartment.

Zabini was close on her heels. "Granger!"

She stopped. "What is it, Zabini?"

"If you have a moment, we need to sort out where and when our patrols begin and end - we don't want to patrol the same areas at the same time," he replied smoothly.

_Oh._ Hermione had been expecting a scathing comment. "That would be fine, Zabini."

"My compartment?" he suggested, gesturing an open door close by.

"Certainly."

As she glanced in, the first thing Hermione noticed was the total lack of mess. In the compartment she shared with Harry and Ron, the floor was littered with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from bean-eating contests that had ended violently, discarded quills, sandwich wrappings and other rubbish. In here, the floor, seats and table was pristine.

_God, even his books are arranged by height._ Hermione couldn't hide her amazement.

Zabini caught sight of her expression, and laughed. "I like things to be neat."

"Oh, me too!" she gushed, before catching herself. "I mean, it's so much more convenient.

"Yes," he agreed, "and looks so much more pleasant."

She smiled in disbelief. "You think so too?"

"Of course," he said, raising an eyebrow. She reddened, and sat down quickly.

There was a muffled _'oof_!', and Malfoy shoved her, hard, before sitting upright. _Oops._

"Granger! Look where you're sitting!" he snarled, red in the face.

Her cheeks burned, but she held her head high. "Oh, go away, Malfoy. What on earth were you doing under the table anyway?"

"None of your business, actually," he retorted, "but in fact I was picking up my wand; which I dropped in utter surprise that _Blaise _had invited a Mudblood into the compartment."

Hermione's mouth fell open.

Zabini merely looked amused. "Careful, Draco, she'll give you detention."

"Oh, really?" Malfoy scoffed. "She'd never dare."

"Good luck with that," Zabini replied, glancing at Hermione's face. Two red splotches covered her cheeks, while her eyes snapped in anger. Malfoy followed his gaze, and quieted down.

There was a long pause in which Hermione decided what to do. Eventually, she sat down heavily on the opposite chair to Malfoy, moving as far away from him as possible before opening her booklet. Zabini followed suit, wearing an expression of exaggerated relief.

**A/N: I'm going to combine chapters in the second draft...right now, I'm just going to do it as my thoughts run. Anyway. Thanks so much for all the feedback! I was so pleased to get some favourites and alerts and reviews, it made my week. Please, please, please alert me to any mistakes and please feel free to suggest anything I can add to improve the story at all. I'm attempting to follow the characters in the books, but it's tricky if you read a lot of OOC fanfiction like me, heh.**

**-**_CadmiumYellow_


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